Lessons Learned: Decade of Fear (Michelle Shephard & Eli Lake)

[Bloggingheads]

Bizarre. Shephard's argument is basically: if the Islamic Courts Union had been appeased, we would never have had the Shabab problem. They brought stability in the midst of corrupt warlords, she argued, so they are no Taliban. Sorry, but that was the Taliban's selling point.

[Diane1976]

Originally Posted by apple

Bizarre. Shephard's argument is basically: if the Islamic Courts Union had been appeased, we would never have had the Shabab problem. They brought stability in the midst of corrupt warlords, she argued, so they are no Taliban. Sorry, but that was the Taliban's selling point.

That was one point in a brief description of an argument in her book. Anyway, it's not really just "her" argument. And I imagine she presented more than one side.

I haven't read Michelle's new book, but I have read her previous book, Guantanamo's Child, about Omar Khadr who has been at Gtmo since he was 15, and many news articles. In GC, she presents different opinions and the results of interviews with people with many perspectives, on Guantanamo and the period in Afghanistan between the Russian war and the early part of the present one, including the development of Al Qaeda, the men who collected around Bin Laden, and their wives and children. As was mentioned in the diavlog, she generally leaves readers to draw their own conclusions. But GC isn't just about issues and arguments. There are good stories.

I'm looking forward to Michelle's new book and appreciated this diavlog with Eli.

Originally Posted by Diane1976

That was one point in a brief description of an argument in her book. Anyway, it's not really just "her" argument. And I imagine she presented more than one side.

I haven't read Michelle's new book,

Well, call me when you have actually solid information, as opposed to imaginary information.

Originally Posted by Diane1976

but I have read her previous book, Guantanamo's Child, about Omar Khadr who has been at Gtmo since he was 15,

Poor guy, he was transported there by aliens? No wait, he was captured because he was participating or aiding jihad. Of course, maybe this is ridiculous and offensive radical Islamists (see my sig), so you might not like that.

Originally Posted by Diane1976

As was mentioned in the diavlog, she generally leaves readers to draw their own conclusions.

I guess I should be thankful for not having an opinion forced on me all of the time.

[Diane1976]

Originally Posted by apple

Well, call me when you have actually solid information, as opposed to imaginary information.

Call me when you've read anything she's written.

Originally Posted by Diane1976

Call me when you've read anything she's written.

Never going to happen. Which is why I don't make statements about what I "imagine" is in her books.

[Diane1976]

Originally Posted by apple

Never going to happen. Which is why I don't make statements about what I "imagine" is in her books.

My comment was based on a book and articles I've read before, assuming her approach would be similar, as I explained. I said I haven't read this book yet.

Your comment wasn't based on much of anything, as far as I can see, other than a snippet from an interview.